Electrical terminal and the like



Sept. 7, 1965 H. J. TYLER ELECTRICAL TERMINAL AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 2. 1961 FIG-4 FIG-3 Dn ME L MY T w N A E n H G U H ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,205,470 ELECTRICAL TERMINAL AND THE LIKE Hugh Jean Tyler, Jeannette, Pm, assignor to Rohertshaw Controls tCompany, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 149,752 Claims. (Cl. 339-32) This invention relates to an electrical terminal and the like which is capable of holding an electrical conductor firmly and without danger of permitting the conductor to become loosely disconnected from the terminal.

Many instances are encountered where the switch panel or the like is removed from the appliance with the switch still assembled on the panel. Such removal of the panel causes movement of the relatively stiff wire which is still connected to the electrical terminal of the switch. This movement of the wire, on present terminals, often loosens the terminal screws. Many times the panel is re-installed without retightening the screws. When this happens, the terminal is almost certain to be burned and destroyed by the arcing that takes place due to the loose terminal screw. The new terminal of this invention will prevent this type of difficulty.

Another feature of this invention includes a terminal construction which permits the connector to be attached to either side of the terminal in a manner which locks the conductor against rocking movement regardless of the side on which the terminal conductor is placed.

Another feature of this invention includes a construction so the terminal may be made of a single rod or ribbon by simple end bending and slotting operations.

Another feature of this invention includes a construction wherein the terminal is provided with means for preventing the rocking movement of the wire conductor which often tends to loosen the screw on the terminal, and this construction may be provided on either side of the terminal, so the conductor may be attached to either side of the terminal.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an electrical terminal and the like having one or more of the features herein disclosed.

Other objects are apparent from this description, and from the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the terminal rod or ribbon.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the electrical terminal and the like.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing the other side of the electrical terminal.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the connector and screw being attached to the rod or ribbon on the opposite side from that shown in FIG- URE 2.

Certain words indicating direction, relative position, etc., such as upper, lower, above, below, etc., are used herein for the sake of clearness and brevity. However, it is to be understood that such words are used to describe the positions of various parts on the drawings, but the actual devices may have different directions, relative positions, etc.

In one embodiment of this invention, an electrical terminal or connector may include a rod or flat conductive metallic ribbon 10, as shown in FIGURE 1. This rod or ribbon 10 may have an end 12 with a side construction which includes opposite broad sides 14 and 16. The ribbon or rod may be substantially T-shaped with a cross piece having laterally extending arms 20 and 24 and with a longitudinal support 15.

The end 12 of the support 15 may have a transverse conductor locking construction with oppositely extending 3,285,470 Patented Sept. 7, 1965 transverse extensions, portions, or arms having oppositely directed electrical conductor receiving and locking notch or opening means which may take the form of an initial bend 18 with a portion 28 extending beyond one broad side 14. A subsequent reverse bend 22 may have a portion 24 extending beyond the other broad side 16.

The transverse conductor locking construction at end 12, such as the bends 18 and 22, may have electrical conductor receiving and locking means which may take the form of locking openings or notches on opposite sides of said ribbon which may be produced by a slot 25 which may extend along the center of the bends 18 and 22 to receive and lock an electrical conductor, such as conductor 28, as shown in FIGURES 2-4, which may pass through the slot 26 and which may be received and locked in such slot in a manner to prevent the conductor 28 from rocking back and forth edgewise of the terminal ribbon.

The rod or ribbon It) may have conductor fastening means effective to receive and hold a conductor. Such means may be a tapped hole 30 extending through the rod or ribbon, for example, transversely to the broad sides 14 and 16 and adjacent to the slot 26. A screw 32, which has an electrical conductor retaining screw head 34 is insertable into the tapped hole 30 from either end of the hole and from either broad side 14 or 16, with the screw head 34 located adjacent either of the respective broad sides 14 or 16 of the ribbon or red 10.

The electrical conductor 28 may pass through the opening or slot 26, where it is locked against sidewise movement and may then extend substantially around the screw 32, as by the loop 36 which is retained in place by the screw head 34.

FIGURES 2, 3, and 4 show the screw 32 as having been inserted through the end which is adjacent to the broad side 14, so the screw head 34 retains the conductor loop 36 in place adjacent the side 14, and the conductor 28 passes through the opening or slot 26 also adjacent to the side 14.

FIGURE 5 shows the screw 32 as having been inserted from the other end of the hole 30, adjacent to the side 16. The conductor 28 passes through the respective opening or locking means or slot 26, so it is locked and received against sidewise rocking movement. The conductor 28 may extend substantially around the screw 32, as by a loop 36, which may be secured around the screw 32 by tightening the screw head 34 against the loop 36 and the loop against the side 16.

In view of the fact that the screw 32 may be inserted from either end of the tapped opening 30, and from either side 14 or 16, it is possible to assemble the terminal or connector on various switches and the like without regard to which side of the connector is to be made more readily available for attachment of the conductor 28. Either broad side 14 or 16 and end of tapped hole 30 may be made available for insertion of the screw 32 and the attachment of the conductor without the necessity of access to the other broad side or the other end of the tapped hole.

egardless of which side of the terminal, such as side 14 or 16, is used for the attachment of the conductor 23, the conductor 28 is received and locked by the locking means or slot 26 against sidewise movement which would otherwise tend to unscrew the screw 32 when such rocking movement would tend to turn the screw 32 in a loosening direction, such, for example, in a counterclockwise direction. Also the screw head 34 retains the conductor 28, at the loop 36, against detachment from the screw in a direction longitudinal of the screw.

A method of manufacturing an electrical connector and the like, such as terminal 10 has been provided. An initial bend 18 is made at the end of a fiat conductive ribbon which has opposite broad sides 14 and 16 with a portion 20 of said bend 18 extending beyond one broad side 14. A reverse bend 22 is made with a portion 24 extending beyond the other broad side 16. An electrical conductor receiving and locking slot 26 is made or cut in the end of the ribbon at the portions 20 and 24 which are made to extend beyond the broad sides 14 and 16. A screw hole 30 is tapped through the ribbon 10 transversely to the broad sides 14 and 16 and adjacent to the slot 26. The hole 30 is tapped to receive a conductorretaining screw such as 32 from either end of the tapped hole.

The methodalso may include the insertion of a conductor retaining screw 32 in one end of the tapped hole 30, which screw is also insertable into the other end of the screw hole 30.

The method may also include producing a transverse conductor locking construction such as the bends 18 and 22 at the end 12 of the relatively rigid conductive rod 10 with a portion 20 extending beyond one side of the rod and with another portion 24 extending oppositely beyond the other side of the rod. Conductor receiving and locking means may be formed on the portions 20 and 24, and such means may take the form of the opposed ends of a single slot 26. The screw receiving hole 30 may be tapped transversely to the rod 10 adjacent to the locking means 26 to receive an electric conductor retaining screw head 34 at either end of the screw hole 30 with the screw head 34 adjacent to either of the respective conductor receiving and locking means at either end of the slot 26. This method may also include the insertion of the screw 32, which is a conductor retaining screw, in one end of the tapped hole 30, which screw is also insertable to the other end of the hole 30.

It is thus to be seen that a construction and method have been provided for an electrical connector or terminal and the like which is very eflicient in retaining the screw and conductor rigidly in place and without danger of having the screw and conductor becoming loose due to the movement of the conductor back and forth in various Working operations, such as in the assembly of a panel and the like which is being produced. Also this construction and method prevent any accidental loosening of the screw construction and of the conductor when a repair is being made in the panel and the like which causes the conductor 28 to be moved or rocked transversely of the screw.

In addition, a connector or terminal has been provided in which the conductor 28 may be attached to either side 14 or 16 of the terminal in a manner that the conductor is prevented from rocking back and forth and causing the screw 32 to become loose by such rocking movement regardless of the side to which the conductor is attached. While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required bystatute, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical terminal and the like comprising: a flat conductive ribbon having an end and opposite broad sides with its end having an initial bend with a portion extending beyond one broad side and with a subsequent reverse bend with a portion extending beyond the other broad side, said portions having an electrical eonductor receiving and locking slot transverse to said broad sides, said ribbon having a tapped hole extending through said ribbon transversely to" said broad sides and adjacent to said slot; and a screw having an electrical conductor retaining screw head, said screw being insertable into said tapped hole from either broad side of said ribbon with its screw head located adjacent either respective broad side of said ribbon adjacent said slot.

2. An electrical terminal and the like comprising: a flat conductive ribbon having an end and opposite broad sides with its end having an initial bend with a portion extending beyond one broad side and with a subsequent reverse bend with a portion extending beyond the other side, said portions having anelectrical conductor receiving and locking slot transverse to said" broad sides, said ribbon having a tapped hole extending through said ribbon transversely to said broad sides and adjacent to said slot; a screw having an electrical conductor retaining screw head, said screw being inserted into said tapped holefrom one broad side with its screw head located adjacent said one broad side of said ribbon adjacent said slot and said screw being insertable into said hole from the other broad side; and an electrical conductor passing through and being locked in said slot, extending substantially around said screw and being retained in place by said screw head.

3. A method of manufacturing an electrical terminal and the like which comprises: making an initial bend at the end of a fiat conductive ribbon having opposite broad sides with a portion of said bend extending beyond one broad side; making a reverse bend with a portion extending beyond the other broad side; making a conductor receiving and locking slot in said portions transverse, to said broad sides; tapping a screw hole through said ribbon transversely of said broad sides and adjacent to said slot, said hole being tapped to receive a conductor retaining screw from either end of said tapped hole.

4. A method according to claim 3 in which a conductor retaining screw is inserted in one end of said tapped hole and is insertable into the other end of said screw hole.

5. An electrical terminal and the like comprising: a fiat conductive ribbon having an end and opposite broad sides with its end having an initial bend with a portion extending beyond one broad side and with a subsequent reverse'bend with a portion extending beyond the other broad side, said portions having an electrical conductor receiving and locking slot transverse to said broad sides, and conductor fastening means below said bends and effective to receive and hold a conductor which passes through said slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/54 Sunderhauf 339-269 JOSEPH D, SEERS, Primary Examiner, 

1. AN ELECTRICAL TERMINAL AND THE LIKE COMPRISING: A FLAT CONDUCTIVE RIBBON HAVING AN END AND OPPOSITE BROAD SIDES WITH ITS END HAVING AN INITIAL WITH A PORTION EXTENDING BEYOND ONE BROAD SIDE AND WITH A SUBSEQUENT REVERSE BEND WITH A PORTION EXTENDING BEYOND THE OTHER BROAD SIDE, SAID PORTIONS HAVING AN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR RECEIVING AND LOCKING SLOT TRANSVERSE TO SAID BROAD SIDES, SAID RIBBON HAVING A TAPPED HOLE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID 